1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-level road intersection, with barrier free pedestrian walkways.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multi-level cloverleaf interchanges are commonly used for highways and rural environment as they enable continuous traffic flow in all directions. However, the cost to build such cloverleaf interchanges, including the cost for land acquisition, is prohibitive in city environment. Furthermore, existing single-level city road intersections would not be modified and reformed into the large scale cloverleaf design because to rebuild the existing intersections is extremely difficult, if not impossible at all, in busy city streets where a substantially uninterrupted traffic flow must be maintained all the time.
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-114701 proposes a three-level road intersection which is relatively small in scale and is therefore applicable to city environment. A first road is disposed on the ground level and is adapted to allow through traffic. A second road includes a continuous-flow overpass disposed at an elevated level above the first road to thereby permit through traffic along the second road. A rotary structure is disposed at a third level above the overpass of the second road and is connected to the first and second roads to handle right turn, left turn and U-turn traffics. Pedestrian walkways for enabling pedestrian traffic to traverse the roads are made in the form of tunnels disposed at the underground level. The problem of this intersection as used in the city environment where a substantial pedestrian traffic exists is that the pedestrian walkways in the form of underground tunnels are not user-friendly for elderly, handicapped and infantile pedestrians and often serve as barriers against wheeled chairs, baby buggies and bicycles.